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Atx X had near midair collision less than standard separation from atx Y. System error. Similar call signs.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 212380 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199206 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sju |
| State Reference | PR |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : sju |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Light Transport |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller military : 8 controller radar : 9 |
| ASRS Report | 212380 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 499 vertical : 100 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Atx X was inbound from the west descending from 7000 to 3000. Atx Y was inbound from the east at 4000 south of sju heading 280. Atx X was vectored south heading 180 for sequence. Atx Y was vectored north heading 010. Atx X was vectored northeast to heading 060 level at 3000. The aircraft were still approximately 10 mi apart and 1000 ft apart. My supervisor was watching the session and pointed out a possible confliction and I advised him I was aware of it. I planned to turn both aircraft to parallel headings and turn them on to the localizer for runway 10. I issued atx Y a turn to heading 330 and descent to 1500. He asked me to repeat the altitude and I issued him the entire clearance again. He 'rogered' the transmission. I then went to atx X and issued a turn to heading 330 and descent to 1500. I received a reply to that transmission and continued to work the other aircraft on frequency. When I checked their position again they were converging and I issued atx X to turn 10 degrees further left and maintain altitude and expedite his turn. I instructed atx Y to expedite his descent. He informed me he had the company in sight and I instructed him to maintain visual separation. Atx X was still at 3000. I advised atx X that I needed him on his assigned heading and he stated that he was flying heading 050. After reviewing the tape when I had wanted to turn atx X to a parallel course I used the atx company wrong a/north. Wrong aircraft replied and since I had made 2 xmissions to him just prior, I 'heard' what I wanted to hear. Consequently, atx X was still on a heading of 060 and wrong aircraft was heading 330 and descending. The atx company here uses far too many flts with similar sounding calls in the air at the same time. This has caused problems with other controllers here but so far not of this magnitude.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ATX X HAD NMAC LTSS FROM ATX Y. SYS ERROR. SIMILAR CALL SIGNS.
Narrative: ATX X WAS INBOUND FROM THE W DSNDING FROM 7000 TO 3000. ATX Y WAS INBOUND FROM THE E AT 4000 S OF SJU HDG 280. ATX X WAS VECTORED S HDG 180 FOR SEQUENCE. ATX Y WAS VECTORED N HDG 010. ATX X WAS VECTORED NE TO HDG 060 LEVEL AT 3000. THE ACFT WERE STILL APPROX 10 MI APART AND 1000 FT APART. MY SUPVR WAS WATCHING THE SESSION AND POINTED OUT A POSSIBLE CONFLICTION AND I ADVISED HIM I WAS AWARE OF IT. I PLANNED TO TURN BOTH ACFT TO PARALLEL HDGS AND TURN THEM ON TO THE LOC FOR RWY 10. I ISSUED ATX Y A TURN TO HDG 330 AND DSCNT TO 1500. HE ASKED ME TO REPEAT THE ALT AND I ISSUED HIM THE ENTIRE CLRNC AGAIN. HE 'ROGERED' THE XMISSION. I THEN WENT TO ATX X AND ISSUED A TURN TO HDG 330 AND DSCNT TO 1500. I RECEIVED A REPLY TO THAT XMISSION AND CONTINUED TO WORK THE OTHER ACFT ON FREQ. WHEN I CHKED THEIR POS AGAIN THEY WERE CONVERGING AND I ISSUED ATX X TO TURN 10 DEGS FURTHER L AND MAINTAIN ALT AND EXPEDITE HIS TURN. I INSTRUCTED ATX Y TO EXPEDITE HIS DSCNT. HE INFORMED ME HE HAD THE COMPANY IN SIGHT AND I INSTRUCTED HIM TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION. ATX X WAS STILL AT 3000. I ADVISED ATX X THAT I NEEDED HIM ON HIS ASSIGNED HDG AND HE STATED THAT HE WAS FLYING HDG 050. AFTER REVIEWING THE TAPE WHEN I HAD WANTED TO TURN ATX X TO A PARALLEL COURSE I USED THE ATX COMPANY WRONG A/N. WRONG ACFT REPLIED AND SINCE I HAD MADE 2 XMISSIONS TO HIM JUST PRIOR, I 'HEARD' WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR. CONSEQUENTLY, ATX X WAS STILL ON A HDG OF 060 AND WRONG ACFT WAS HDG 330 AND DSNDING. THE ATX COMPANY HERE USES FAR TOO MANY FLTS WITH SIMILAR SOUNDING CALLS IN THE AIR AT THE SAME TIME. THIS HAS CAUSED PROBLEMS WITH OTHER CTLRS HERE BUT SO FAR NOT OF THIS MAGNITUDE.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.